Effect on your riding
Exercise one: Stand for two, sit for two
TOP TIP
Effect on your riding
Most of us would give a body part to have a coach on hand to oversee every one of our schooling sessions. Imagine having a pair of beady eyes to help you make minor corrections to the angle of your elbow each time it sneaks out of alignment with the bit, or shift a pesky lower leg back to its optimum position whenever it creeps towards your horse’s shoulder?
Lack of stability, strength and balance in your position means losing the picture-perfect shoulder, hip, ankle alignment as you contort your posture to compensate. This can cause riders to look elsewhere for security, perhaps relying on a death-grip with the knees or leaning on the reins.
It’s ridiculously simple, but you’d be surprised how many riders struggle to stand in their stirrups on a trotting horse. Many riders I train lose balance, falling back into the saddle with their lower leg swinging forward. The key is to keep your hip and ankle aligned, focusing on maintaining your lower leg position throughout.